A brightly coloured ceramic bench depicting estuary nature. The image includes a kingfisher, sea trout, freshwater pearl mussels , and otter.
A brightly coloured ceramic bench depicting estuary nature in Whitby.
© Richard Ponter and Juneau Projects

There Is Another Alphabet

Juneau Projects

As part of the Wild Eye project, three sculptural benches titled There Is Another Alphabet have been installed around Whitby Harbour in North Yorkshire. The benches were designed in collaboration with local residents and artists Juneau Projects to reflect the wildlife of the Esk Estuary.

‘There Is Another Alphabet’ is inspired by a line from a poem by Dejan Stojanovic: “There is another alphabet, whispering from every leaf, singing from every river, shimmering from every sky.” This suggests that we might learn to ‘read’ and understand the natural world more deeply.

Artists Juneau Projects worked with the local community to create a series of sculptures with a practical function, for example, seating or information points. They also aimed to raise awareness of wildlife and water quality in the Esk Estuary.

  • A colourful ceramic bench, depicting estuary nature, including a bat, otter, freshwater pearl mussels and fish.
    Bench one depicts an estuarine environment. ‘There is another alphabet‘ benches, Juneau Projects, 2022.
    © Richard Ponter
  • Sculptural benches, ‘There is another alphabet‘ photographed in various Whitby locations.
    Bench two depicts a tidal environment. ‘There is another alphabet‘ benches, Juneau Projects, 2022.
    © Richard Ponter
  • A colourful ceramic bench, depicting coastal habitat , including limpets, purple sandpiper, curlew, oystercatchers, and bottlenose dolphin.
    Bench three depicts a coastal environment. ‘There is another alphabet‘ benches, Juneau Projects, 2022.
    © Richard Ponter
  • A section of a colourful sculptural bench, depicting a bat in flight
    ‘There is another alphabet‘ benches, Juneau Projects, 2022.
    © Richard Ponter
  • A section of a colourful sculptural bench, depicting the tail of a seal, patches of sea plantain, sea plantain and turnstone
    Bench two depicts a tidal environment. ‘There is another alphabet‘ benches, Juneau Projects, 2022.
    © Richard Ponter
  • The back of a colourful ceramic bench faces Whitby harbour.
    ‘There is another alphabet‘ benches, Juneau Projects, 2022.
    © Richard Ponter
  • A section of a colourful sculptural bench, depicting an oystercatcher, heron and purple sandpiper on mudflats
    ‘There is another alphabet‘ benches, Juneau Projects, 2022.
    © Richard Ponter
  • A colourful ceramic bench, depicting estuary nature, including a bat, otter, freshwater pearl mussels and fish.
    ‘There is another alphabet‘ benches, Juneau Projects, 2022.
    © Richard Ponter
  • The side of a colourful ceramic bench, depicting estuary nature, including freshwater pearl mussels, kingfisher, sea trout and otter. The bench faces Whitby Harbour with Whitby Abbey in the background.
    Bench one depicts an estuarine environment. ‘There is another alphabet‘ benches, Juneau Projects, 2022.
    © Richard Ponter
  • The side of a colourful ceramic bench, depicting estuary nature, including freshwater pearl mussels. The bench faces Whitby Harbour.
    Bench one depicts an estuarine environment. ‘There is another alphabet‘ benches, Juneau Projects, 2022.
    © Richard Ponter
  • A colourful ceramic bench, depicting coastal habitat , including fish and sea birds.
    Bench three depicts a coastal environment. ‘There is another alphabet‘ benches, Juneau Projects, 2022.
    © Richard Ponter
  • A colourful ceramic bench, depicting estuary nature, including a bat, otter, freshwater pearl mussels and fish.
    ‘There is another alphabet‘ benches, Juneau Projects, 2022.
    © Richard Ponter
  • The back of a colourful ceramic bench, depicting estuary nature, including sea trout, otter, freshwater pearl mussels and kingfisher. Whitby Harbour in the background.
    Bench one depicts an estuarine environment. ‘There is another alphabet‘ benches, Juneau Projects, 2022.
    © Photographs courtesy Richard Ponter and Juneau Projects
  • Two members of Juneau Projects stand with one of their colourful benches, depicting estuary nature, including freshwater pearl mussels and fish.
    Juneau Projects standing with one of their benches in Whitby.
    © Richard Ponter and Juneau Projects
  • The artists Juneau Projects, both wearing blue work overalls, sitting on one of their sculptural benches, decorated with imagery of animals and the natural landscape.
    ‘There is another alphabet‘ benches, Juneau Projects, 2022.
    © Richard Ponter
  • Sculptural benches, ‘There is another alphabet‘ photographed in various Whitby locations.
    Bench two depicts a tidal environment. ‘There is another alphabet‘ benches, Juneau Projects, 2022.
    © Richard Ponter
  • A section of a colourful sculptural bench, depicting the tail of a seal, patches of sea plantain, sea plantain and turnstone
    Bench two depicts a tidal environment. ‘There is another alphabet‘ benches, Juneau Projects, 2022.
    © Richard Ponter
  • A section of a colourful sculptural bench, depicting an oystercatcher, heron and purple sandpiper on mudflats
    ‘There is another alphabet‘ benches, Juneau Projects, 2022.
    © Richard Ponter
  • A section of a colourful sculptural bench, depicting an oystercatcher in flight
    ‘There is another alphabet‘ benches, Juneau Projects, 2022.
    © Richard Ponter

Hand-drawn map of bench locations by Kirsty Davis

Illustrated map of Juneau Projects' bench locations in Whitby
Illustrated map of Juneau Projects' bench locations in Whitby
Illustrated map of Juneau Projects' bench locations in Whitby
© Kirsty Davis illustration

Thanks to:

The Esk Estuary Partnership; Caedmon College; WHISH (Whitby Hidden Impairments Support and Help); West Cliff Primary School; Whitby Railway Community Shop volunteers; Whitby Naturalists; HelenBerry at Pannett Art Gallery; John Woodhead, Scarborough BoroughCouncil; Mel Bonney at CaVCA; Fergal Clenahan; Kirsty Davis; Flash Arts; Chris Burrows, Harbourmaster Scarborough Borough Council; Rob Williams & Jo Hindley-Richardson of Whitby Beach Sweep; Lynne Lawson at Whitby, Scarborough & Ryedale Disability Action Group; Linda Wild, Mayor and the local advisory group.

Locations

River

Marina Front Car park off Langborne road, by riverside path

What3Words Location:

///functions.removes.spells

Access Info:

The seats were designed in collaboration with Whitby Disability Action Group. The River bench location is on level ground, adjacent to a car park with... Read more

View on Map

Tidal

New Quay Road, opposite Wetherspoons

What3Words Location:

///propelled.ferrets.wage

Access Info:

The seats were designed in collaboration with Whitby Disability Action Group. The River bench location is on level ground, adjacent to a car park with... Read more

View on Map

Sea

Pathway at the end of Henrietta Street overlooking East Pier

What3Words Location:

///frightens.smirks.kilts

Access Info:

The seats were designed in collaboration with Whitby Disability Action Group. The River bench location is on level ground, adjacent to a car park with... Read more

View on Map

About Juneau Projects

The artists Juneau Projects, both wearing blue work overalls, stand on either side of one of their sculptural benches, decorated with imagery of animals and the natural landscape. Whitby Abbey stands above the town in the background.

Juneau Projects was formed in 2001 by Philip Duckworth and Ben Sadler. They work across a broad range of media including painting, sculpture, animation, performance, music and installation. Much of their work is made in collaboration with other people and focuses on the relationship between society, culture and the natural world. They are interested in how nature is perceived through the lens of technology, folk art and other cultural mediation. Throughout their career they have examined the process of working in a hands-on way with technology to produce artworks, projects and collaborations.

They have exhibited at venues including Tate Britain (London), PS1 (USA), Frankfurter Kunstverein (Frankfurt), Grizedale Arts (Cumbria), IKON (Birmingham), Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale (Japan), Tatton Park Biennial (UK), Somerset House – Kings Cultural Institute/Up Projects (London), Lismore Castle Arts (Ireland) and Two Chairs, Vermont (USA).

Visit Juneau Projects Website https://www.juneauprojects.co.uk (opens in new window)

Community Involvement

Workshops with Whitby residents

 

A series of workshops with the artists saw Whitby residents create artworks inspired by wildlife and habitats found along the different stages of the Esk Estuary.

Participants designed their model sculptures and discussed the kind of public artwork they would like to see, how it could raise awareness of the themes of the project, and how it could be useful and aesthetically interesting.

The community workshops were held from 2021–22 at Whitby Yacht Club, Whitby Railway Community Shop, Caedmon College, Whish Charity Whitby, West Cliff Primary School, Flash Company Arts and CaVCA venues Church House and Green Lane Centre and online.

They were attended by members of the Esk Estuary Partnership, members of the public and pupils of the respective schools and organisations. We’d like to thank everyone who came and made such great contributions.

  • Juneau Projects creative workshops in progress with participants using clay and paint
    Juneau Projects creative workshops in progress with participants using clay and paint
    © Juneau Projects
  • Juneau Projects creative workshops in progress with participants using seaside items including shells and seaweed
    Juneau Projects creative community workshops using foraged items from the seaside and collage
    © Juneau Projects
  • Juneau Projects creative workshops in progress with participants using wood and paint
    Juneau Projects creative community workshops using wood and paint
    © Juneau Projects
  • Juneau Projects creative workshops in progress with participants using clay and paint
    Juneau Projects creative workshops in progress with participants using clay and paint
    © Juneau Projects
  • Juneau Projects creative workshops in progress with participants using clay and paint
    Juneau Projects creative workshops in progress with participants collaged materials
    © Juneau Projects

Local community exhibition at Pannett Art Gallery, Whitby

 

Artwork by participants in the workshops was on display at The Pannett Art Gallery, Whitby 19 February – 13 March 2022, alongside artworks from their collection which depict the Esk river.

The display was coordinated by early career, Whitby-based artist Kirsty Davis, who was selected for the opportunity to gain professional development – including working alongside Invisible Dust Associate Curator Jeanine Griffin and the artists Juneau Projects.

Kirsty has created a series of gestural paintings about the Esk to document the process, and a hand-drawn map of the bench locations.

  • A gallery display filled with colourful lino prints
    A gallery display filled with colourful lino prints inspired by natural world, each is individually framed.
    © Kirsty Davis
  • A gallery display filled with colourful lino prints.
    Printed illustrations showing different ideas for sculptural forms, shown in a display cabinet at Pannett Art Gallery.
    © Kirsty Davis
  • A gallery display filled with colourful lino prints
    A gallery display filled with colourful lino prints inspired by natural world, each is individually framed.
    © Kirsty Davis
  • A gallery display filled with colourful lino prints
    A gallery display filled with colourful lino prints inspired by natural world, each is individually framed.
    © Kirsty Davis
  • A gallery display filled with colourful lino prints
    A gallery display filled with colourful lino prints inspired by natural world, each is individually framed.
    © Kirsty Davis
  • Riso prints made through community workshops
    Printed illustrations showing different ideas for sculptural forms
    © Kirsty Davis
  • Riso prints made through community workshops
    Printed illustrations showing different ideas for sculptural forms
    © Kirsty Davis
  • Small paintings by Kirsty Davis
    Small paintings by Kirsty Davis hanging in a row on a museum wall.
    © Kirsty Davis

Thanks to:

The Esk Estuary Partnership; Caedmon College; WHISH (Whitby Hidden Impairments Support and Help); West Cliff Primary School; Whitby Railway Community Shop volunteers; Whitby Naturalists; HelenBerry at Pannett Art Gallery; John Woodhead, Scarborough BoroughCouncil; Mel Bonney at CaVCA; Fergal Clenahan; Kirsty Davis; Flash Arts; Chris Burrows, Harbourmaster Scarborough Borough Council; Rob Williams & Jo Hindley-Richardson of Whitby Beach Sweep; Lynne Lawson at Whitby, Scarborough & Ryedale Disability Action Group; Linda Wild, Mayor and the local advisory group.

Plan Your Visit east
Bladderwrack seaweed, photo courtesy Christopher Bill via Unsplash

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